Saving Cole Turner
by pinkrockpunkcess
Summary: She felt a hand on her back, heard her name from the lips of the man she loved, the man who had lied to her… Cole was the Source. Cole was evil. Cole had lied. Cole needed to be saved. Set AU Season 4 after 'The Three Faces of Phoebe'
1. Chapter 1

**A.N** Phew it's been a long time! Having just started re-watching Charmed (thank you on-demand tv!) this fic just won't leave my mind. I am a big Phoebe fan, but she really did just give up on Cole in Season 5. Here is my attempt at making it a little better. This bears no relation to my other story, as you'll see the timings no longer fit together, and I'm not sure whether I will go back and revisit that one after writing this. 'Saving Cole Turner' is not meant to be a long one, but we'll see how it goes. This is set at the end of Season 4 Episode 14 'The Three Faces of Phoebe' and is AU after that.

**Disclaimer** I do not own Charmed etc.

Chapter 1

Cole wasn't sure how he found the strength. He knew the Source hadn't completely overtaken him, how else could he explain saving the old lady or the affection he felt every time little Phoebe called him her Prince. He heard the lie come out of his mouth, the lie that he was fine, no he wasn't hiding anything, there was nothing Phoebe needed to know about him, and something just snapped. A rage built unlike nothing he had felt since Belthazor, the three faces of his beloved Phoebe flashed through his mind; the innocence of little Phoebe, the love of his Phoebe, and finally the bitter truth that awaited in the face of old Phoebe. It was that face that stuck, that face that at first he could barely recognise belonged to Phoebe Halliwell but, at the end, when she had saved him even after all the pain he had put her through, all the heartache, he saw her. Really saw her. And he saw what would become of the Phoebe in his arms now if he kept up the lie.

"Phoebe…"

"Hm?"

Cole pinched his eyes closed, a raspy voice deep in his mind screaming at him to just give up and die already, the voice of the Source, but all he was concentrating on was the face of old Phoebe, and he let out a breath.

The premonition hit Phoebe so hard that for a moment she thought that the breath she sucked in would be her last. She saw the past; Cole taking in the Hollow and saving them all from the Source, the Seer's cryptic message that the vanquished Source's powers had gone 'into the void', Cole flaming, using the Source's powers, plotting with the Seer…then she saw the future. She saw herself, evil, the Queen of the Underworld standing beside Cole at his coronation, Piper and Paige broken and sobbing as the Power of Three was broken once again, fire so much fire, then she saw herself chanting as Cole, her Cole, the Source, was vanquished. The premonition suddenly changed again. She was older, men were leaving her, family wasn't fulfilling her, she was bitter so bitter and angry, and then she was old Phoebe, sitting alone in a cold room and sobbing over a picture taken many years ago, the picture which now in the present sat pride of place on her dresser.

The premonition ended as violently as it had begun and Phoebe lurched forward, head between her knees as she gasped for air. She felt a hand on her back, heard her name from the lips of the man she loved, the man who had lied to her… Slowly she looked up, brown eyes brimming with tears and when she turned slowly to look at Cole, saw the anguish on his worn face and the light slowly dimming in his beautiful eyes, she knew what she had to do.

"Save me Phoebe…"

The words caught in Cole's throat and he felt the familiar sensation of the Source beating him down, felt the tingle in his stomach of a pull he couldn't resist, and Phoebe shielded her eyes as Cole flamed out of her bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N **Thank you guys so much for your reviews! Especially Dominus Trinus for your review on one of my old oneshots too :) I hope you all enjoy the next chapter, it's a bit longer and quite dialogue-heavy but I hope it works.

Chapter Two

Phoebe wasn't sure how long she sat in silence, just staring at the space Cole had flamed out of. Seconds, minutes, years? She had known something was wrong, in her gut she had known it that's why she cast the spell. Cold feet, Piper had said. _Every bride to be gets cold feet_. Phoebe had known it was a premonition, a premonition desperate to come out, to warn her, to guide her.

"Goodnight Phoebe, Cole!"

Paige's cheerful voice snapped Phoebe from her daze and she choked down a sob, a trembling hand going to her throat to try and push down the vomit she could taste. Cole was the Source. Cole was evil. Cole had lied.

Cole needed to be saved.

"Piper! Paige! I need you!" Phoebe called as she ran from her room and up into the attic, Paige frowning and peeking her head out of her bedroom door.

"Phoebe?"

"Phoebe?!" Piper's cry of her sister's name was shriller, tinged with fear. She knew her little sister, sometimes she thought better than Phoebe even knew herself, and she knew that tone meant that Phoebe was afraid. She pounded up the stairs quickly, Leo behind her and the eldest witch grabbed Paige's hand to tug her along with them. The trio skidded into the attic and Piper raised her hands, ready to freeze or combust whatever was attacking, but all she saw was Phoebe frantically flicking through the Book, tears sliding down her cheeks and she let go of Paige to move slowly towards her. "Phoebs? What's wrong?" Piper asked with a frown, "Where's the demon?"

"Where's Cole?" Paige too was frowning, her head slightly tilted. The frown deepened at Phoebe's reaction to her question, an intake of breath and her hands moving faster on the book.

"Phoebe what are you looking for?" Piper asked, her voice gentler this time and she moved to her sister's side, resting a hand on her shoulder. The gesture seemed to make Phoebe crack and she whimpered, her body dropping as she leant her elbows against the ancient tome and tunnelled her fingers through her hair. Piper gripped her shoulder in concern, eyes darting for a moment to her husband and youngest sister before going back to Phoebe. "Phoebe, honey, you need to talk to us you're scaring me."

"Cole is the Source."

The words were so softly spoken that Piper was certain she misheard them. Absolutely certain. "Phoebs," she said in a laugh, "Phoebe you just said Cole is the Source."

"She said what?" Paige asked in alarm, "Cole is-"

"Paige, relax," Piper shook her head, "We vanquished the Source. And Cole, is human now, he-"

"The void." Phoebe pushed herself up, leaning both against the Book and her big sister for support as she looked between the three of them. "I had a premonition, the one that has trying to come out. It wasn't cold feet Piper." Piper swallowed, squeezing Phoebe's shoulder again as her sister spoke then slowly wrapped her arm around her as Phoebe relayed the details of the premonition. "He said 'save me Phoebe', and then he fl…he f-flamed out. He's the Source."

Phoebe's ragged breathing was all that filled the attic for at least a minute as Piper, Paige and Leo processed what they had just been told. Guilt filled Piper, she should've encouraged Phoebe to trust her instincts and she should never have assumed they could vanquish the Source with such ease, just because she wanted her normal life. For Leo, it was another failure. Cole had tricked him again and in doing so Leo had put the girls in danger. Again.

It was Paige who recovered quickest. "We need to vanquish him."

"Paige…" Piper looked at the newest Charmed One, saw the anger on her face and shook her head slowly.

"Paige, what? We have the spell," Paige said moving towards the two sisters.

"It's Cole."

"It isn't Cole, Piper! It's the Source!"

"Paige calm down," Leo said moving to the young witch, "We need to-"

"We need to start acting like the Charmed Ones and vanquish the Source before he kills us!"

"Stop!"

Paige's head snapped from her brother-in-law to her sister as Phoebe straightened, tears streaking her cheeks but determination on her face. "We need to save Cole," Phoebe said firmly, "Don't say he's not Cole, he is. Cole is still alive in there I know it, he's the reason I could finally get the premonition. He wants us…he needs us to save him."

"The power stripping potion, maybe we can use that," Piper said.

"It won't be strong enough, not on the Source's powers," Leo shook his head, "I'll check with the Elders." "Hurry." Leo nodded to his wife and orbed out, leaving the three sisters.

Paige sucked in a breath, forced herself to calm the fear in her chest and the anger in her voice. "Phoebe, listen to me," she said, "We all know that you love Cole, but Cole is gone. This isn't like when he was half demon, he's just a man he can't supress the Source of all fricking evil."

"Then how did I get the premonition, Paige? Why did he tell me to save him?!"

"Maybe it's a trick! Maybe it's a trick so we keep on trusting him! It's not like he hasn't fooled you before!"

"This is different!"

"Yeah it's way worse!"

"Damnit Prue-!" Phoebe realised her mistake instantly and a redness spread over her cheeks. "Paige, I mean…" She sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead with a glance at Piper, who had stiffened at the sound of her big sister's name but was now giving Phoebe a quiet look, a look that meant she understood. And apparently so did Paige.

"Well," the youngest Halliwell sniffed, straightening up and looking dead at Phoebe, "At least someone would've agreed with me." Before another word could be spoken Paige had orbed out and Phoebe groaned, Piper holding her tightly and trying to figure out how a bad thing had just got so much worse.


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N **You lucky lot, another chapter! I'll hopefully get another up before the weekend too. Thank you again for the reviews they really do spur me on.

**Disclaimer** I forgot to add this last time but I do not own Charmed etc etc.

Chapter Three

Her face didn't change. Not once. Not when he flamed in and immediately started screaming in frustration, not when fireballs exploded her potions bottles and ancient spell books, and not when he turned on her, hand raised, face red and eyes tearing and demanded she pull the Source's powers out of him right that second.

"Is something the matter?"

Cole knew that a fireball wouldn't kill her but he threw it anyway, the Seer disappearing and reappearing in a moment, her head tilted as if somehow he had just amused her.

"You should learn to control your anger."

"Get them out of me!" Cole stalked towards the Seer, gripping her arms tightly and pulling her up so they were almost nose to nose, "Get them out!"

"You cling so hard to life Cole, let it go. Embrace the Source, embrace the power," the Seer urged. She stumbled slightly as he let her go, righting herself and watching him as he pushed his hands back over his head with a groan. "What has happened?"

"He told her." A smirked twitched the Seer's lips at the use of the word 'he', Cole couldn't keep the Source down for long it was only a matter of time, and he didn't even seem to realise his mistake. "He told her, and she had a premonition-"

"Impossible."

"-showing her everything. The past, the now, the future. She knows it all."

"That is impossible the Source's power has been enough to guard against the witch's power," the Seer shook her head, "You are mistaken, an over-reaction to-"

"She knows!" His voice echoed throughout the cave and the Seer took a step back, watching the man in front of her. For it was clear that now, at this moment, he was Cole Turner, and as Cole suddenly let out a laugh the frown on her face deepened and the Seer looked away from him.

"Then why did you come here?" she grit out, twitching when he laughed again.

"So her sisters don't vanquish me of course," Cole said, sucking in a breath and laughing again a little, "No, I need to give her time. Time to come up with a spell or make a potion, maybe that power stripping one. She'll save me."

"She will destroy you." The Seer snapped her head back to look at Cole, eyes white as she looked into the future and Cole sucked in another breath. He knew her visions were unparalleled in the Underworld, and both Cole and the Source needed to know what she was seeing.

For several minutes she stood still, gazing deep into a future that had seemed so certain before but now was clouded, mixed up, unclear. On the one hand she saw her plan succeed, saw Phoebe stand beside Cole at the coronation as his wife, saw a Prince conceived. On the other…

"The witches have not decided what to do with you yet," the Seer murmured as her eyes faded back to brown, and Cole frowned.

"What do you mean? Phoebe…she'll save me."

"Or she'll vanquish you, with her sisters, like the good witch she is."

"No." Cole shook his head violently, hands pressing against his temples as he felt the Source stir in his chest and he swallowed hard. "No. No no no she'll save me, she'll find a way."

"Weakness!"

Cole hadn't realised the Seer was in front of him, didn't see the slap coming until it connected hard and his head snapped to the side.

"This weakness, is not befitting of the Source!"

She slapped him again, then again but this time he caught her wrist, rising above her and glaring down at her with eyes as black as the power tightening its grip around his heart.

"Be careful, Seer," Cole murmured, and the woman smirked. There was her Source, and she bowed her head.

"Forgive me sire." She rubbed her wrist as he dropped it, watched as he moved across the room in a more controlled manner than the frenzy he had been in before, and she knew that whatever the witches decided she would have the future she wanted.

As the eldest sister Piper knew that she was expected to have all the answers. Hell it had been expected of Prue, why should she be any different? There was, however, one fundamental difference between the two sisters; Prue _had_ all the answers. Piper could count on one hand the number of times Prue, in her whole life, had been conflicted or had not known exactly what to do. Piper had always wondered how she did it.

Now she wondered whether Prue felt the same anxiety, the same burden, the same crippling fear that Piper felt every time she was looked upon to know the answer.

Phoebe's eyes were red and her shoulders stooped and heavy as Piper lead her to the dusty attic sofa, its cushions singed from the many battles it had seen. _If this couch could talk…_

"What do I do, Piper?"

Those five little words had become the bane of the eldest Charmed One's existence, but she put on a smile and stroked Phoebe's cheek softly as the girl looked up at her with wide eyes.

"We will figure this out honey," she soothed, "You just need to stay calm, and think of anything in your premonition that could help us, okay? Leo will be back soon about the power stripping potion."

"I'm not vanquishing Cole."

"I know honey."

Piper watched as Phoebe took her eyes back to the Book and started turning the pages again. Both knew there would be nothing in there that could help them, that they needed to figure it out for themselves, but if Phoebe found comfort in the action who was Piper to say otherwise.

"I'm going to go check we have all the ingredients for the potion," Piper said, "If you need me just yell, okay? If…" She didn't want to say if Cole came back and instead cleared her throat a little. "If you need me for _anything_ Phoebs."

"'kay…"

With a sigh Piper moved away from Phoebe and left the attic, running a hand down her face as she descended the stairs quietly. _One sister down…._

She walked past her bedroom, then Phoebe's, then she stopped. A quiet, muffled sniffling was coming from behind door number three and with another sigh Piper knocked quietly before pushing the door open. _One to go._

"Paige?"

Paige didn't look up at the sound of her name. She hadn't meant to start crying, really she hadn't. Once she had orbed down to her bedroom (_Is it really mine though? I've only been here five minutes_) she had paced quietly in order to stop herself orbing to Tahiti or Disneyland or Mars, just to be anywhere but in that house. Then she had sat down, started chewing on her thumbnail like she used to when she was younger, and the tears had just started coming.

"Sweetie…" Piper went to sit beside the girl, resting a hand on her head gently before tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. _Her hair is the exact same colour as Prue's… _"You know she didn't mean that."

"Still said it." Paige hiccupped and sniffed, wiping her face on her knees but not daring to look at Piper. She just couldn't, because this was a sign of weakness and if Piper was the strongest person that Paige knew how could she be weak in front of her?

"She's had a shock, we all have," Piper sighed, "And well, it was kind of deja vue up in there right now. God the fights they used to have over Cole…"

"Prue didn't like him?"

"She didn't trust me. She liked him, at the end, in her own way I guess." Piper smirked a little. "Actually Prue never liked any of Phoebe's boyfriends."

"Well the girl doesn't exactly have the best taste," Paige laughed a little and Piper 'hm'ed with a small nod, wasn't that the truth. Neither realised that they were leaning against each other, Piper with her hand quietly in Paige's hair playing with the strands as Paige rested her head against her big sister's shoulder. "I just, felt like I didn't matter," Paige said quietly, "Like she wasn't listening to me just because I was saying something she didn't like."

"Well, Paigey, you did jump straight to vanquishing the love of her life," Piper sighed.

"Like you weren't thinking it."

"Perhaps but this isn't just any demon-"

"Source of all evil," Paige corrected and Piper sighed and tugged the girl's hair gently, Paige looking up at her.

"Paige, sometimes you have to be a sister first and a Charmed One second," she murmured, "Just for a moment. Now we will figure this out. Cole isn't going to hurt Phoebe."

"What about us? I'm…" Paige took a deep breath and dropped her eyes back to the chewed thumbnail on the hand resting in her lap. "I'm scared Piper. I mean it's Cole, he's been in our home he knows us he-"

"No one is going to hurt you Paige. I won't let them."

The conviction in her voice surprised both sisters; it was no secret that Piper hadn't exactly embraced Paige with open arms, baskets of muffins aside of course. Paige felt her usually pale skin flush a little pink and as she looked back up at Piper she smiled, and Piper smiled back. They had an understanding now, they were sisters, and that came first. No matter what.


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N **Thank you again for all the reviews, favourites and follows! Regarding Cole, there will be more of his struggle with the Source and I'm glad people have picked up on that because unfortunately I don't think it was dealt with very well in the series; one minute he's full of anguish and the next he's sabotaging the wedding. Hope you enjoy the next chapter!

**Disclaimer **I do not own Charmed etc.

Chapter Four

Phoebe sometimes thought that she was cursed. _Blessed as witches, cursed as_ _women_, that's what Piper had told her she'd said on her wedding day. Of course everything worked out in the end; no matter how bleak life had looked for Piper and Leo, and there were times it had looked damn impossible let alone just bleak, things had worked out. Piper and Leo were married, they were happy, so happy that sometimes it was too much for even Phoebe to bear. Of course, Piper deserved to be happy. Of course, she loved that the Elders had finally let them be together. But why did Piper get to have her happy ending and Phoebe didn't?

Despite what people might think, Phoebe was no fool. She knew her relationship with Cole started off with a lie, and that in the whole time they had been together he had been truly honest with her maybe less than half of the time. But she was finally happy. They were finally happy.

Evil always ruined it. Piper got her angel, her paragon of good, a man who couldn't be evil even if he really, really wanted to. And Phoebe? _I get the Source of all evil… _It just wasn't fair. Phoebe knew that Cole struggled to be 'just a man', she often caught him staring off into the distance before he left a room because he had forgotten he couldn't just shimmer to where he needed to go. She had lost count of the number of times he had raised his hands in a demon fight, forgetting he could no longer throw energy balls. But they were happy. _Why aren't I allowed to be happy too!_

Phoebe smacked her hands down against the Book, open on her lap on the Belthazor page by accident rather than design and as she looked down at the pictures she had stuck around it all those months ago she shuddered. "Oh Cole…"

"Phoebe?" Hand-in-hand Piper and Paige came back into the attic quietly, Paige biting her lip quietly as they moved to sit either side of their sister and Phoebe instantly turned into Piper's chest. "Did you remember anything sweetie?"

"No," Phoebe said quietly, closing her eyes to listen to Piper breath, to focus on something to try and control her own pounding heart.

"Did Cole come back?" Paige asked quietly, Phoebe shaking her head and opening her eyes halfway to look at the other girl.

"I'm sorry Paige…"

"Eh it's fine," Paige forced a smile, "No big deal." Phoebe forced a smile back at the girl before the white lights of orbs distracted all three of them and Leo appeared in the attic.

"Okay," he sighed, "I uh, I have good news and bad news."

"Good news first," Piper sighed stroking Phoebe's hair gently.

"Well the good news is that Cole isn't the Source." Leo held his hands up at the looks shot back at him. "I mean, not completely. There hasn't been a coronation ceremony, so technically-"

"But he has the Source's powers," Piper frowned.

"Yeah, but he's still Cole," Leo said, "Phoebe's premonition showed that he's still human, and that there's still good in him. The Source hasn't taken over."

"So Cole, isn't evil?" Paige said, trying to sound more hopeful than confused and she bit her cheek when she felt Piper dig her in the ribs, "Well that's great!" Leo's face dropped a tiny bit. "Is that, not great?"

"The bad news is that Cole, human Cole, won't be able to resist the Source's powers for long," Leo sighed, "And the power stripping potion won't be strong enough. He'll be completely consumed, and the Elders have said if that happens-"

"We'll have to vanquish him."

Piper bit her lip as Phoebe quietly finished Leo's sentence. "Well then," she said, "We need to get those powers out of him before the Source takes over."

"But Leo said the potion isn't strong enough," Paige said.

"Well then we'll make a stronger potion," Piper nodded.

"But it's the powers you want to vanquish," Leo pointed out, "And as it's the Source's powers you need the spell."

"Right but we can't strip the powers using the spell because that will just vanquish Cole," Piper sighed in frustration, "Didn't the Elders give any clues how we do this?" Leo shook his head. "Of course they didn't."

"Piper this isn't their fault," Leo sighed, "They thought you had vanquished the Source just like we did."

"I have an idea."

"But Leo they're meant to be these all-knowing beings, surely they should _all know_ when the Source of all evil is alive or not," Piper said.

"Guys-"

"Well we didn't know," Leo shot back at his wife, "We didn't see it, even Phoebe didn't not until-"

"So I'm supposed to just _know_ whenever Cole turns evil!" Phoebe scoffed looking up at Leo, "It's not like-!"

"Vase!" The glass object on the window sill disappeared in orbs, Paige flinging her arm and smashing it against the wall.

"Paige oh my god!" Piper jumped, glaring at the girl, "What the hell did you do that for?!"

"I am trying to get your attention!" Paige groaned and she took the Book of Shadows from Phoebe's lap, taking it back to the lectern and flipping through it, "I'm sure I saw…a ha! Yes, okay, I have an idea."

"You do?" It was Phoebe's turn to sound confused but she did at least get up, Piper with her as Paige nodded quickly.

"Okay," she said, taking a breath to steady herself. She wanted to get this right. "Cole is still human, so all that's wrong with him is he has these Source powers. It's the powers we want to get rid of." She 'shh!'ed quickly when Leo pointed out that they knew this already. "We could make another power stripping potion, but it either won't work or blow up in our faces or just blow up Cole which would also be bad." She held the Book up, and Piper wrinkled her nose.

"The spell to switch powers? Paige I don't think-"

"You can't swap powers with Cole, Paige," Leo said shaking his head quickly.

"No kidding," Paige said rolling her eyes a little, "I have enough trouble with my own powers I don't need evil ones. No. We swap Cole's powers with…I don't know, some low level demon. Or a warlock, something Piper can freeze and then blow up if it goes wrong."

"But then Cole will be a demon again," Phoebe sighed.

"Yeah or a warlock," Piper frowned.

"But that's the thing, we could then strip the powers, demon or warlock, from Cole using Phoebe's potion," Paige said quickly.

Piper sighed a little. "Okay, but, Paige we don't even know that the power switching spell will work, it might not be strong enough."

"That is why we tweak it just a little and make it a Power of Three spell," Paige grinned, "Hey if that's strong enough to vanquish the Source it's gotta be strong enough to pull the powers out, right?" She dropped the Book down and leant on her hip. "Any input here people, appreciated."

Piper and Leo shared a look. "It's, risky," Leo said looking back at Paige and trying not to see her face fall, "If it doesn't work then Cole will still be the Source. And summoning a demon or warlock here…"

"We'll only have one shot at this," Piper shook her head, "Paige I don't know-"

"It'll work." Phoebe moved around the lectern and wrapped her arms tightly around Paige, the younger woman blushing. "It'll work," she said again as she pulled back, a smile on her face and conviction in her eyes, "Let's start working on that spell sis." Paige nodded firmly, then both looked at Piper. The eldest sister had to have the final say, right?

With a sigh Piper gave a small nod. "Okay, it'll work. But Phoebs if it doesn't…" She stopped. _Sometimes you have to be a sister first and a Charmed One second._ "Lets do this."


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N **Sorry for the delay! Jury service. Anywho thank you again for all the brilliant reviews. Again, yes this is technically a Phoebe/Cole story but I just love writing the other sisters so that's where we're at in this chapter.

**Disclaimer** I do not own Charmed etc.

Chapter Five

The coffee machine bubbling was the only noise Piper heard as she sat in the Manor kitchen, her domain, her sanctuary too when it was clean and tidy like right now. But it wouldn't be soon. Soon there would be potions pots and ingredients strewn about, not to mention coffee cups. _Why couldn't Cole decide to be the Source of all evil at a more reasonable hour?_

Piper frowned a little. Oh that was probably unfair, Cole didn't decide to be the Source, not according to Phoebe's premonition anyway. Like Cole hadn't decided to be Belthazor, he was born as him. And, she supposed, it hadn't exactly been his decision for Belthazor to be stripped from him. Not at that exact moment anyway. No, Cole never got a say did he. The only thing Cole had decided was to be good, and that bit him right in the ass.

Life was unfair, Piper had always thought so. It was unfair that mom had died so young, that daddy had left, that they never knew about their heritage until Grams was gone and there was no one to guide them. It was unfair that Prue had died, and that they had had to wait so, so long to meet Paige. Sometimes Piper allowed herself to think about the four of them together. Not even as witches, the Power of Four, but as kids growing up together. As teenagers. _Paige would've been a handful I just know it. Her and Phoebs together, sheesh I think Grams would've keeled over even sooner! And Prue, huh, she would've babied Paige. They would've been close though, closer than her and Phoebs. Maybe that would've meant I was close to Paige too? Maybe I could've taught her to cook. Maybe…_

Piper blinked away tears, wiping the back of her hand across her eyes. She couldn't afford to think about Prue or 'maybe maybe maybe' for too long. She needed to be strong right now, strong for Phoebe. _Paige is strong, just like Prue. Yeah, they would've been close._

"Hey honey."

Piper blinked again as Leo sat quietly down opposite her, sinking slightly in his seat but reaching to clasp her hand and rub the back of it with his thumb.

"What are you thinking about down here?"

His voice was so gentle that Piper had to bite down on her cheek to stop herself just crumbling right there. It should've stopped surprising her by now, but Leo always knew when she needed him. _Well, nearly always…_

"Oh nothing," Piper smiled a little, brushing a hand back through her hair, "Just making some coffee, Phoebs is pretty wired but I'm ready to collapse."

"Long day," Leo nodded.

"Long year," Piper smirked a little in return and Leo chuckled softly but it soon faded and worry filled his eyes, making Piper frown a little, "Leo?"

"I don't like this, Piper," Leo murmured, giving her hand a squeeze, "I know it's Cole, and I know that Phoebe wants to save him. But if she can't…"

"If she can't then she knows what she has to do."

"She knew that before, with Belthazor. And she lied to us Piper, she let him live."

"Leo," Piper sighed heavily, closing her eyes, "We need to stay positive." _Wow what a hypocrite_. "We need to believe we can save Cole."

"By giving some other demon or warlock the Source's powers in return? By turning Cole into a-?"

"Only for a minute, until we vanquish the Source then we strip the powers."

"Yeah but-"

"Sweetie I think we really need to trust Paige on this, she has it all figured out and to be honest I'm too tired to come up with a plan of my own right now so this is all we've got."

With a small sigh Leo squeezed her hand again. "Piper…"

"How could we miss it?" Piper looked down at their hands quietly, wedding rings locked next to each other in entwining fingers, "How could we be so naïve to think we could just vanquish the Source and have a normal life?"

"You will vanquish the Source honey. And we'll have…it won't be normal, it'll never be normal. But it'll be good."

"And Melinda?"

"Who?"

"That little girl I saw, when we went to the future." Tears filled Piper's eyes again. "A future where Phoebe was being burnt at the stake which of course I don't want to come true, and Prue…Prue was there, she was alive. But she's not anymore, so do we just sub Paige in? Or is that future gone? Is Melinda gone?"

"Piper, you need to concentrate." Leo was down on his knees beside her, one hand still in Piper's as the other stroked through her hair gently and she turned her face towards it. "You need to concentrate on the present, on what we do about the Source and about Cole. That's all that matters right now honey."

"I know, I know. I can't help it though," Piper laughed a little, "You know me, I'm a worrier."

"Shh…" Leo rested his hand against her forehead gently and Piper closed her eyes. She half expected to feel the warmth of his healing touch, god knows she could use it on the headache pressing against the back of her eyes. Instead she just felt love, and she smiled a little.

"Coffeeeeeeee…." Paige groaned as she padded into the kitchen, Piper opening her eyes and laughing a little as the youngest sister, oblivious to the moment she was interrupting, announced her arrival.

"In the pot honey," she said and she kissed Leo's palm gently before getting up to go to the potions cupboard, "Pour me a cup too, seems like this'll be an all-nighter."

"Where's Phoebe?" Leo asked and Paige pointed up to the ceiling.

"She's still trying to get the power switching spell just right. It's kind of difficult because we haven't decided who or what we're switching them with yet."

"It should be a warlock," Piper said, Paige tilting her head in query and Piper shrugged, "Well Cole's been a demon before, but he won't be used to the warlock powers, it'll stun him and give us time to strip them."

Paige smiled as Piper spoke, saw a light come back into her eyes and more than anything else saw that Piper did believe that the plan could work. Her plan. That was a damn good feeling. "Piper, that's why you're the oldest," Paige said passing her a cup and the woman laughed a little.

"Yeah, don't I know it."


	6. Chapter 6

**A.N** Hey everyone! Thank you again for your reviews, follows, favourites and general support :) This story has actually taken on a bit of a life of its own, I only intended it to be between 8 and 10 chapters but now...well, who knows! Hope you continue to enjoy it. This chapter is a bit longer than the previous one.

**Disclaimer **I do not own Charmed etc etc.

Chapter Six

"_Powers of the witches_…no no it's not witches it's demons. _Powers of the Source_…urgh!" Phoebe ripped the page from her pad, screwed it up and tossed it behind her along with the other dozen or so crumpled balls. "_We call upon, we witches three, powers as evil as can be_…that's awful." Another ball joined the pile and Phoebe pressed her hands against her eyes. She was good at spells, she was the spell master she could pull one out of her ass at any time, any place, in any situation. _We call the spirits to help undo and send him off to Timbuktu. _Not her finest but it had done the trick. Now though, she had spell-blank. And at the worst possible time too.

"You think a spell is the answer?"

The silky, vaguely familiar voice made Phoebe drop her hands quickly and she instantly glared at the Seer.

"You! You did this you knew this would happen!" Phoebe grit out, moving slowly around the lectern.

"Of course I did," the Seer said, nodding her head slowly as if she thought she were talking to someone either very young or very slow, "I saw what would happen."

"Yeah well see this bitch!" Phoebe snapped and she levitated up, aiming a kick at the woman but she disappeared and Phoebe groaned as she hit the ground.

"You'll have to do better than that," the Seer chided, reappearing behind Phoebe. Between her and the Book of Shadows. Oh she couldn't touch it, she knew that much. But to be this close, to feel the power. "You know, you can be together. Join him."

"I'm going to save him!"

"From what? From unimaginable power? From demons bowing down to him instead of trying to kill him?" She moved towards Phoebe as the witch glared up at her from the floor. "His love for you makes him strong, for now, but soon it'll be a weakness and it will get him killed. But if you join him, accept him, prove that you love him-"

"Get away from her!"

Both women looked up quickly at the snarl, the attic filling with heat as Cole flamed in and moved to stand over Phoebe, glaring at the Seer.

"Get out of here, get away from her!"

"I only came to offer her a way out," the Seer said, her eyes darting to Phoebe as she scrambled quickly away from Cole, "The two of you can be together. You can rule together."

"You're insane if you think I'll be evil!" Phoebe yelled, "If you think I would leave my sisters!"

"Your sisters will understand. You must embrace your new destiny," the Seer said, "Both of you." She smirked as she faded out, Cole stalking to where she had just been standing and shaking his head.

"I'll kill her."

"Why? Aren't you on the same side now?"

Phoebe's bitter voice made Cole's heart constrict just a little. _She hates you Belthazor, you must see that now._ Cole shuddered at the voice of the Source in his head and clenched his fists.

"Phoebe, please…"

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?!" Piper snapped as she ran into the attic, Leo moving quickly to help Phoebe up and looking her over for injuries. Slowly Cole turned to face them, Piper's eyes blazing with a fierce anger, her hands raised ready to blow him up. Paige was beside her, beside but a little behind her, her own fists clenched as she looked at Cole. He could practically taste the fear from the youngest Charmed One and he had to hold his breath a moment to ensure the laugh he heard in his head didn't come out of his mouth.

"The Seer, I thought she was going to hurt Phoebe," Cole murmured.

"So you came to do it yourself?" Paige muttered.

"I could never hurt Phoebe," Cole frowned, "What a stupid…I could never."

"How can you say that, Cole!" Phoebe cried. She moved away from Leo and closer to Cole, ignoring Piper say her name in warning. "How could you say you would never hurt me, when you're breaking my heart! Again!"

"Phoebe-"

"Why didn't you tell me huh!"

"I couldn't! I wanted to," Cole said quickly, "But he's strong Phoebe, he was blocking your premonitions and I'm trying to fight him but…he's strong."

"So how are you fighting him now?" Piper asked, hands still raised but the fury gone from her face. For now anyway.

"If he even is," Paige said, "This could still be a trick…"

"No Paige, if the Source had taken over completely he wouldn't be talking to you," Leo said as he watched Cole carefully.

"He'd be killing us," Phoebe said simply.

Cole was barely able to look in her eyes, those big beautiful brown eyes that he had, more often than he cared to think about, made fill with tears. Phoebe Halliwell had cried a lot of tears over him. _End her pain, Belthazor. End her_.

"He doesn't have his full strength yet," Cole murmured, glancing at Piper as he answered her question, "But it won't be long. You must have a plan. A spell, or-or a potion. Something strong."

"As if we'd tell you," Paige frowned.

"She's right, we're not telling you a thing," Piper said and she moved slowly over to Phoebe and took her hand, "So leave, Cole. Go now before you hurt someone."

"B-but…" Cole looked between the two sisters, the two 'original' sisters. "Every time I go down there, Cole gets weaker. I-I, I get weaker."

"Then go to the mausoleum," Piper nodded, "Away from the Seer, and away from us. We'll summon you when we need you."

Cole had always admired Piper. He respected her strength, especially with the firepower she was packing (_always seemed like a pretty big coincidence she gets a power boost just before Prue dies,_ Cole thought, but he would never raise it no sir) but he admired her heart. If he had modelled himself on anyone when he was trying to be good, it was Piper.

"Go, Cole." Phoebe's whisper made Cole swallow and he nodded a little.

"Alright, but Phoebe…" He reached for her hand and she pulled away, shrinking into her big sister. "I love you Phoebe. I need you. Please." Blinking back his own tears, tears which the Source mocked him for as he crawled up from the depths of Cole's being, tightening his hold, getting stronger just as Cole as said, Cole turned a little and flamed out of the attic.

What he had failed to realise was that every time he used the Source's powers, the Source got stronger. So Cole didn't end up in the safety of the mausoleum, he flamed into the Seer's chambers and as his head spun and bile rose in his throat he collapsed, unconscious on the hard stone floor.

The attic was quiet for a moment, for one solitary moment. Seeing Cole flame like that had all too heavily rammed home the reality that yes, he was the Source of all evil. The Source in Cole clothing, with his voice and his looks and his…well, everything. For now anyway.

It was Piper who broke the silence, clearing her throat and rubbing Phoebe's arm gently. "Why don't you sit down honey and Paige will get you a glass of water."

"I'm fine."

"Phoebs you're not fine, just-"

"I said I was fine Piper, stop babying me!"

The outburst halted Paige, who was already halfway out the door to do as Piper said. "Hey," she frowned a little, arms folded over her chest, "Don't yell at her Phoebe."

"I'm sorry…" Phoebe grit out, not even bothering to make it sound like she actually meant the words. Moving past Piper she went back to the Book and her pad and pen, focussing on the blank sheet. A spell, she had to right a spell.

_You two can be together. You can rule together_.

The Seer's words were buzzing around her head and she pinched her eyes closed.

_I need you. Please._

Cole needed her, of course he needed her. He needed her to write a spell to save him.

_Join him_.

An image from her premonition flashed through Phoebe's mind. A coronation, dark words being spoke, a sacrifice, a crown on her head. Evil.

_Embrace your new destiny._

"What's wrong with her?" Paige murmured as she moved up beside Piper, Leo on his wife's other side as the three of them watched Phoebe in concern.

"I don't, know…" Piper said.

"She looks like she's going to have a stroke," Paige wrinkled her nose.

"Paige," Leo chided softly, watching as Piper moved away from the trio and over to Phoebe. She placed her hand over her sister's and gave a squeeze, the action seeming to snap Phoebe out of whatever daze she was in and she forced a smile at the older witch.

"I'm fine," Phoebe said softly, "I just need to get this spell right."

"I know honey, you will," Piper nodded gently, "Paige is going to help you, Leo and I will make up the power stripping potion."

"I'm no good at spells," Paige bit her lip, and this was kind of an important one, "Maybe I should make the potion."

"Yeah Piper I don't think a haiku is gonna do it this time," Phoebe sighed gently, glancing at Paige a moment, but the oldest sister shook her head.

"No, we all have our jobs," she said, "So let's get to it." _Before it's too late_, she wanted to add onto the end. She'd seen the struggle Cole was going through, hell they all had but it only seemed to be Piper who realised that time was running out. Fast. She squeezed Phoebe's hand again then left the attic, Leo following after her.

"Okay fine," Paige sighed and she took Piper's place beside Phoebe, "What do we have so, far…" She'd just spotted the scattered paper balls and bit her lip. "Okay well that's alright sweetie we can come up with something together." She forced a smile at Phoebe and patted the hand Piper had been squeezing, suddenly feeling more like a big sister than the baby. She had gotten pretty used to being the baby, and now she missed it. A whole lot. "So what rhymes with 'Source?'"


	7. Chapter 7

**A.N **Apologies for taking a little while with this, hope you all enjoy :) Thank you as always for the brilliant reviews.

**Disclaimer **I do not own Charmed.

Chapter Seven

Piper stirred her potion slowly, waiting for the brown liquid to turn red. The motion was surprisingly soothing and she allowed her mind to wander. Perhaps she was actually stirring her famous marinara sauce, in the kitchen of her very own restaurant, a dream come true. Perhaps she was stirring cake mix, making a birthday cake for her husband or one of her sisters. Or her children.

Perhaps it was a wedding cake for Phoebe and Cole.

A pungent smell caught her attention and she wrinkled her nose. "Potion's done." Oh wait Leo wasn't there. No, he had orbed out as soon as they got to the kitchen.

_"__Your future brother-in-law is slowly Hulking-out into the Source of all fricking evil and __they__ need to chat?!"_

_"__It won't be a 'chat' Piper they might have some information for us."_

_"__They didn't before!"_

_"__Piper you can't still be mad that they didn't know!"_

_"__Well guess what I am!"_

And the truth was Piper was mad. To Phoebe and Paige she had to remain calm and collected, but really she was furious. The Elders had let them down, again. Again again again. Where were they when she practically died from Arroyo fever? Or when Prue _did_ actually die? And how could they possibly not know that a Charmed One was sharing her bed with the Source?

Taking a turkey baster from the side Piper filled three vials with the power stripping potion. She was sure they would only need one, but if she'd learnt anything in her time as a witch it was 'prepare for the worst'.

She knew it was irrational to be so mad with the Elders. Everything they did was for the Greater Good, and perhaps the Source really was so powerful that he had stopped them seeing that he had infected Cole. Though that was another 'perhaps', nothing seemed certain anymore. Except that she would apologise to Leo when he orbed back in, it hadn't been fair of her to yell at him. Or blow him up as he orbed out. That hadn't been fair at all, but then again Piper had always thought life was unfair right?

"I'm thinking turquoise."

"Huh? Geez Phoebs what the heck rhymes with turquoise?!"

"Not the spell Paige, for your and Piper, your bridesmaid dresses."

Paige's jaw hung, comically so like a fish or a cartoon character. "Uh, you're talking about…the wedding?" _Holy moly she's lost her mind_.

Phoebe nodded a little, pen tapping against the still-blank sheet of paper resting on the Book. "I was going to go for purple but it's too dark, I want something light and fun."

"Phoebe, sweetie…"

"I'm not a total bridezilla though, you guys can decide how you want your hair."

"Hair, right…Piper!" Oh Paige was not dealing with this mental breakdown on her own, no way Jose and she took Phoebe's arm gently. "Phoebe why don't you go sit and relax and try not to start drooling and I'll-"

"Paige stop," Phoebe laughed a little, "I'm not going insane. I'm just trying to clear my mind, y'know?"

"No I don't know," Paige frowned, "As in I don't know why you're talking about a wedding you can't possibly have now." Phoebe's confused face made the younger witch groan. "Phoebe you can't marry Cole!"

"Well, not right now obviously, but when-"

"When we fix him? From being the _Source_! We can't have an ex-leader of all demondom in the family I think the Elders would actually disown us."

"Paige you're being ridiculous, of course I'm marrying Cole," Phoebe frowned, hey and saying it out loud didn't even scare her that had to be progress right? "I'm marrying Cole. After we save him. And we will save him."

Paige looked at Phoebe, looked at her dead in the face as if studying her. Not fifteen minutes ago she had been a wreck, leaning against Piper as if she were a crutch, telling Cole to go, screaming at him that he had broken her heart. Now she was talking wedding colour schemes.

"What happened?" Piper moved quickly into the attic, eyes darting before resting on her sisters, "I heard you yell what happened?"

"Paige thinks I'm insane."

"Phoebe's lost her mind."

Both spoke at the same time and Piper blinked. _Huh, wow, deja vue. 'Phoebe you have lost your mind if you think Roger would ever look at you twice!' 'Yeah well Prue you are insane if you think I'd make a move on that slimy dirtbag!'_

"Okay," Piper took a deep breath, "Can we _focus_ please sisters? How's that spell coming along?"

"Well it was coming along just fine until Phoebe started planning her wedding," Paige replied airily, Phoebe shooting her a small glare.

"Why are you acting like this? Paige this is all your idea, you're the one who came up with a way to save him!"

"Yeah but I didn't think I'd have to still be related to him afterwards!"

"Oh boy," Piper sighed rubbing her forehead, "Ladies-"

"He'll be human, Paige! Just like before!"

"Yuh huh and what about this 'void' he has? Or will it be like a yearly tradition, save the brother-in-law from whatever evil being he's turned into this time!"

"O-kay Paigey that's a little harsh-" Piper tried.

"So I should just abandon him?!" Phoebe cried.

"No not _abandon_ but you should probably think about returning the rock!"

"Alright enough already!" Piper's voice cut through whatever nasty retort Phoebe had been about to send Paige's way and the oldest sister moved to stand between them. "What has gotten into you two?! I know we're all tired, and I know this is stressful, but can we not fight amongst each other _please_!" She took a deep breath. "Now, the power-stripping potion is ready. The spell obviously isn't, but that's okay." She held her hand up when Phoebe tried to speak. "I think we all need to go to our rooms and try to get a couple hours rest. It's 4am for cripes sake."

"Piper, Cole doesn't have time for us to rest," Phoebe said shaking her head.

"A couple of hours won't kill him."

"But wouldn't _that_ solve all our issues."

"_Paige_!" Piper groaned in frustration at her quip, or she hoped it had been just a quip and not an actual plan, and Phoebe shot the girl a dirty look before taking the Book and her pad.

"I'm going to work on this in my room."

"Phoebs please try and rest," Piper sighed, but Phoebe ignored her and left the attic and Piper groaned again and turned her eyes back to the young witch standing in front of her. "Paige…"

"I know, I know. That was uncalled for," Paige sighed, "I'm sorry okay, sisters first."

"Just go and get some sleep," Piper sighed waving a hand, "Go on, and _don't_ bother Phoebe."

"I won't," Paige pouted a little and orbed out to her room, and Piper pressed the balls of her hands against her eyes.

"Still the middle sister," Leo smiled a little, coming up behind his wife and slipping his arms around her waist to rest his chin on her shoulder.

"When did you orb in?" Piper sighed as she leant back against him.

"Somewhere between 'yearly tradition' and 'return the rock'," Leo said kissing her cheek gently, "I didn't want to interrupt. Plus I thought you might blow me up again."

"Yeah about that…"

"It's okay," Leo smiled a little and Piper turned around in his arms.

"What did they say then?"

"Nothing about how to save Cole," Leo sighed, "But, they wanted me to keep a closer eye on Phoebe." Piper frowned at that and Leo shook his head. "Just until we fix this, to make sure she's alright."

"That's vague, as usual," Piper said still frowning and Leo just shrugged, "Well Phoebe is going to be fine, she'll write the spell and get Cole back and she'll be just fine."

Phoebe wasn't fine. The Book of Shadows was on the floor just outside her bedroom, the pad and pen fallen beside it, and the witch who had been carrying them was nowhere in sight.


	8. Chapter 8

**A.N **Hi guys! Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I do appreciate that chapter 7 was a little 'filler' but I sometimes felt that the show didn't really deal with the characters as sisters, just as witches, so I'm trying to rectify that a little; I don't believe Phoebe would be able to just pull a spell out of her ass when it was her fiance's life at stake and we all know at this point in the series Paige was pretty good at just saying whatever she pleased and not holding back (especially when it was about Cole!) That's enough of my rambling though, I hope chapter 8 is back on track for you guys :)

I've written a bit in this chapter about what I think happened post-'All Hell Breaks Loose', hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer** I do not own Charmed.

Chapter 8

The cave smelt like burning flesh and it was all Phoebe could do to stop herself gagging, she already felt woozy from her journey. Her involuntary journey it should be said, she had been quietly muttering about how wrong Paige was as she walked to her bedroom when all of a sudden _whoosh_, she had been sucked into the Underworld, the Book of Shadows ripping itself from her hands. _It would be so incredibly useful if __we__ had that handy 'protect itself from evil' power too_.

Phoebe blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she slowly looked around. "Where am… Cole." Her eyes fell on the man sprawled on the floor and biting her lip Phoebe quickly went to him. "Cole? Cole wake up." As she shook his shoulder a premonition hit her, as hard as it had done before, images flashing fast through her mind; Cole flaming out from her bedroom, the Seer taunting him, taunting her in the attic, a coronation, Piper and Paige-

Phoebe wrenched her hand back from Cole's shoulder, holding it tightly to her chest as she tried to calm her breathing. She wasn't sure how she had managed to interrupt the premonition and she pinched her eyes closed tightly, willing away the images still playing around in her head, trying to forget those that had been less premonition and more memory as they started to merge into one.

"I wonder if the future is clear for you," the Seer mused, moving from her space in the corner of her lair slowly towards the Charmed One and the Source, "It could be you know."

"Why did you bring me here?" Phoebe grit out, eyes still pinched closed but her breath coming steadily now; years of demon fighting had taught her that the first rule of survival was to breathe. The second rule was to not end up alone in the Underworld. _God, the last time I was here…_

She had lost a sister, her big sister. The events of that day were all still a blur. Cole had come back and told them that Tempus was resetting time, then the demons had attacked. Leo had been knocked out, Phoebe couldn't say how long for she was too busy fighting. But it had been long enough for Shax to attack, to throw Prue and Piper through that wall, to kill the doctor, for Prue's injuries, so much more severe than Piper's, to overcome her. _I'll never forget Piper's scream when she woke up, when we had to tell her…_

Phoebe tried not to think about how she could've prevented Prue's death; hell when the day played out first of all Piper had died after all. Death wanted a Halliwell that day, he didn't care which one he took.

Cole gasped and groaned and Phoebe opened her eyes quickly, looking him over. He looked sick, she'd never seen him like this before. His face was red, sweat dripping from his forehead and now, Phoebe realised, that burning smell was coming from him, as if seeping from his very pores. The Source.

"You can save him," the Seer murmured, "Release him from this torment. You know it's only a matter of time before the Source kills him, takes over his body."

"No," Phoebe grit out and she pushed herself up, "_No_ the Source can't have him, he's mine!"

"The Underworld hasn't had such a strong King and Queen for so long."

"Shut up."

"Think of the power, Phoebe. No rules, only those of your own making. No more struggle."

"My sisters-"

"Would no longer be a threat to us. They would be safe." The Seer smirked lightly at Phoebe's scoff, giving a small shrug. "They would be defenceless, an unworthy target. You would be protecting them. Especially Paige, so young and new to her powers. And Piper, so vulnerable and emotional after losing Pruden-"

"Don't say her name!" Phoebe spat.

The Seer smirked quietly. "Such anger, and guilt. You couldn't save her but you have the chance to save the others."

"You're lying," Phoebe muttered, crouching back by Cole and shaking his shoulder gently, "Cole you need to wake up. Wake up!" She sighed a little in relief as he groaned, then the breath caught in her throat as he opened his eyes. They were as black as night, unblinking, unmoving. Evil.

The Source.

"Phoebe…" Cole breathed her name in a voice that was only part his. He felt hot, the burning hole of darkness he had felt in his stomach ever since he took in the Hollow had spread up to his chest. He knew he was losing, he knew that sooner rather than later he would have no control.

But he would fight.

Forcing his eyelids to close he grunted, opening them again slowly and Phoebe watched as the blackness bled back out to green. The buzzing in his head got louder, as it always did when he defied the Source, the heat spread so that he could feel it in his throat. But it was still his head. Still his throat. Not _his_, not the Source's. Not yet.

"Phoebe," Cole murmured again and he turned his head towards her, "What are you…" There were tears slipping down her cheeks, her eyes were full of a mixture of pain and fear. Yes, definitely fear. He said her name again, reaching to touch her face but a swirl of golden lights suddenly engulfed her, so bright against the darkness of the Seer's chambers that he had to shield his eyes.

When he looked back she was gone, and the darkness overtook him once again.

"_Phoebe_!"

The sheer panic and fear in that one word made Paige orb out of her bed in fright. She reappeared in Phoebe's room, Piper standing in the doorway clutching the Book of Shadows to her chest. "Piper what-!"

"Phoebe's gone!" Piper cried, "She's gone Phoebe is _gone_!" At Paige's obvious confusion the eldest sister let out a cry of, "Leo!" before looking back at her. "I came in to check on her, the Book was just on the floor and Phoebe is _gone_." As Leo came to her side Piper ordered him to sense for her, her already wan face paling further when he said he couldn't. "Oh no. No no no not again."

"Piper-"

"No I can't do it again!"

"Piper!" Paige grabbed her shoulders tightly, looking her in the face. "Piper, you need to _stop_ freaking out and help me find her."

"If I can't sense her she must be in the Underworld," Leo frowned, "Maybe Cole-"

"He took her!" Fear had clearly been taken over by anger and Piper let out a yell of frustration. "That son of a bitch! If he's hurt her-!"

"_Piper_!"

The hard shake Paige had just given her made Piper's head spin a little and she blinked, looking at her sister. She looked focused. So very focused. _God she looks like Prue_.

"If Cole has taken Phoebe, he wouldn't hurt her," Paige was saying, "We know that, okay?"

"Paige is right," Leo murmured, "He loves her, even as the Source he won't let anything happen to her."

"So he's probably just keeping her captive or something," Paige said, "So we just need to find out where-"

"We can summon her." Piper moved quickly past Paige heading back for the attic, the younger witch frowning and following after her.

"Summon her like how?"

"Like how I tried to summon Prue back from the dead."

"Piper-"

"No, I know," Piper shook her head, putting the Book back on it's stand and flicking quickly through it, "But I tried a lot of spells and, maybe this one." She rested her hand on the 'To Call a Lost Witch' spell. "Maybe if we both say it. And maybe…maybe if we change it to 'a lost-'"

"Sister," Paige nodded quickly and Piper smiled a little.

"Right, a lost sister. Get the candles and the herbs, and we'll need an athame."

Paige nodded quickly and started gathering everything Piper had said as Leo moved to his wife's side, resting a hand on her back gently as Piper scribbled an extra line down onto the spell quickly. He didn't say anything, and Piper was grateful for that. She hadn't yet calmed down enough for him to give her any kind of pep talk, she needed to focus.

"Okay, ready," Paige nodded and Piper brought the Book over to the table, Paige lighting the candle and mixing the ingredients as instructed.

"Alright." Piper took the athame up and pricked her finger, squeezing the blood into the pestle and mortar bowl before Paige did the same with a wince.

"Owch."

"Shh. Okay." Piper gripped Paige's hand tightly. "So change 'witches' to sisters, and then add the last part." The spell she had used to try and summon Prue back. Paige nodded once, and they started chanting.

"_Power of the sisters rise, course unseen across the skies, come to us who call you near, come to us and settle here. Blood to blood, we summon thee, blood to blood, return to we. In this night and in this hour, we call upon the Ancient Power. Bring back our sister. Bring back the Power of Three_."

"Again," Piper grit out, squeezing hers and Paige's hands over the bowl and watching as a couple more drops of blood fell, and Paige hid the wince as she did as she was told.

"Say it again-"

"Wait!" Paige pointed quickly and Piper's head snapped around as golden lights swirled into the attic, finally materialising into the shape of Phoebe Halliwell. "It worked!"

"Phoebs…" Piper jumped up quickly and wrapped her arms around her sister as Phoebe collapsed, sobbing against her shoulder. "It's alright sweetie you're home, you're safe. I've got you, I've got you."

Paige bit her lip as she watched them, Phoebe clinging to Piper so tightly it was a wonder she could breathe, and the young witch got up and went slowly to kneel with them, resting her head lightly on Phoebe's shoulder and echoing Piper's words that she was alright, she was home, and it would all be okay. She didn't know how true it was, or whether she would end up regretting saying it, but for now Paige repeated the words like a mantra, just like Piper.

And despite the situation, Leo smiled softly.


	9. Chapter 9

**A.N **Hi all! Sorry for the late update real life has been hectic. This chapter might be a bit 'filler' (I promise I'll be getting to the point very soon!) but I wanted to explore Phoebe's temptation to join Cole. I know in the series she was controlled by the baby she was carrying but I don't think it's as simple as all that.

Again thank you so much for all the reviews! Hope you enjoy the chapter, another one will be coming up soon.

Chapter Nine

Paige squinted a little as the morning sun started to shine through the attic windows. "These are not the all-nighters I am used to."

"Is that a good thing?" Leo laughed a little and the youngest sister smiled.

"Um still not sure." She was clearing away the tools used to summon Phoebe back from the Underworld, as after she had managed to calm herself down that's where Phoebe told them she was. She told them about the Seer, what she had said about saving Cole, about reigning with him, about them all being safe and not ending up like Prue…and that was when Piper had blown up a lamp and Leo had rightly suggested they all take five minutes. Phoebe was in her bedroom and Piper was getting her third, perhaps fourth, mug of coffee. And Paige was cleaning.

"Owch," she hissed as she knocked the finger Piper had cut, sticking it in her mouth quickly with muttering a muffled, "I hate blood spells."

"It worked though," Leo said and he swept away the broken lamp, "At least you know that now, for the future."

"Should I plan on one of us getting whisked away to the Underworld on a regular basis then?"

"God I hope not," Piper shook her head as she came in clutching a steaming mug in one hand and a potions bottle in the other, "That was too close. Leo can't we put some kind of protection spell on this house?"

"That would be a great idea," Paige nodded in agreement, "'cause I've always wondered, when we're in the shower or something, or God forbid on the toilet, or having _sex_, and we get summoned or there's a demon or a warlock-"

"I'll look into it," Leo said and Piper smirked at Paige's rambling, the girl blushing a little and nodding quickly.

"You do that," she said going to flop down onto the couch, "Is Phoebe okay?"

"She's pretty shaken up," Piper sighed, looking down into the coffee mug as she swirled it around quietly, "I think we need to make a decision about this whole situation." At both Paige and Leo's curious looks Piper straightened up a little. "I think we need to accept the possibility that Cole might be lost."

"But we know where he…is…oh." Paige trailed off when she realised the true meaning of Piper's words. "But I thought we were going to use the spell, switch the powers."

"Yeah Paige and that was a good idea," Piper sighed, "But now we have the Seer to think about she's powerful too."

"So let's vanquish her."

"You'll need a piece of her flesh," Leo shook his head.

"Exactly," Piper nodded, "But maybe, if we vanquish the Source then she'll…I don't know, leave us alone."

Paige was too tired and too stressed to hide the hurt in her voice. "You said it was a good idea though, you said 'sisters first'."

"It _was_ a good idea, it _is_…" Piper looked to Leo for help and the whitelighter raised his hands a little.

"Paige I think what Piper is saying is-"

"She's saying we need to vanquish Cole."

Phoebe's soft voice startled everyone, and not for the first time since she had learnt about her parentage Paige wondered why on earth being a witch didn't endow them all with better hearing or something; so many things snuck up on them.

"Phoebs honey," Piper bit her lip, "It's just after what you said about Cole…he's not going to be able to hold on for long."

"I know Piper, and I think maybe you're right."

"Woah what?" Paige stood up quickly, looking in shock at the middle sister. "Hold up, Phoebe just an hour ago you were talking bridesmaids dresses and now-"

"And now I'm saying that if it comes to it, we have to vanquish the love of my life, yes Paige," Phoebe sighed and she rubbed her forehead, trying to press back the headache that had been present ever since she'd had the first premonition of Cole as the Source. _God I was better off not knowing_. "It might be the only way to save the Power of Three."

"Phoebe, even as the Source I don't think Cole would hurt you," Leo murmured.

"That's not what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid I'll go with him, that I'll choose him."

"Don't be ridiculous," Piper frowned and Phoebe gave her a desperate look.

"It's _not_ ridiculous, Piper. Remember the Woogy? He only affected me, not you or Prue."

"Well yeah but-"

"And when Prue married the warlock?"

"Prue did _what_?" Paige exclaimed moving around to stand with Leo and Piper held a hand up to quiet her, her brown eyes fixed on Phoebe.

"Phoebs that was different, I turned too and Prue was tricked it wasn't like-"

"But it felt good," Phoebe sighed, "Every time I turn evil, it feels so _good_. And you know I'm drawn to it, I always have been. Remember P Russell?"

"One of Phoebe's past selves was evil," Leo murmured for Paige's benefit, the girl nodding slowly. Apparently there were some things about her sisters that she didn't know.

"Phoebe, stop," Piper said firmly, "That was different, _you_ are different now! You're not P Russell! And anyway she was-

"Seduced by evil," Phoebe said, "I'm susceptible, hell that's why Belthazor chose me in the first place!" When Piper didn't respond Phoebe continued. "I'm just trying to be responsible here. The things the Seer said to me…somewhere inside she made sense!" Piper scoffed shaking her head. "Piper I _saw_ it! I saw what could happen okay! In my premonition I saw me choosing Cole, not you and Paige! I saw…" She stopped, swallowing to try and remove the lump from her throat. That was the part of her premonition she had pushed out of her mind, the part she had never spoken of. But she had seen it.

_Her, the Queen of the Underworld standing beside Cole at his coronation. A swollen belly. Tonic. Fire. A baby boy, evil personified. Her son. _

"I saw a baby, Piper," Phoebe whimpered, "Mine and Cole's son, a baby-"

"A boy?! In this family!" Phoebe flinched a little at Piper's bark of laughter. "Well that's a crock!"

"Piper," Leo said but she carried on.

"Phoebe I don't _care_ what you saw! We've changed your premonitions before, hell we change them every _damn_ day! I know you! You wouldn't do that to us! You wouldn't just leave us!" She shook her head so violently some coffee split from the mug onto her hand, but she barely noticed. "Now you need to finish that power switching spell, because we will try that _first_. But you also need to get the Source vanquishing spell ready, okay? Because I swear Phoebs if we need to use it you better be ready." Turning her back on Phoebe, Piper went to the Book and started turning pages quickly, no real reason to it but she needed to keep her hands busy.

"I am ready, Piper," Phoebe said quietly, "That's what I'm trying to say, but I need you to understand that-"

"I will not have a conversation about losing another sister," Piper cut her off, "Now go and finish that damn spell!"

"O-kay…" Paige moved quickly from Leo's side and wrapped an arm over Phoebe's shoulders, directing the girl out of the attic. "I don't want to lose a sister either and I think Piper is gonna blow you up."

"I heard that!" Piper snapped and Paige flinched, opening her mouth to say something but Phoebe murmured for her not to, resting her head against her little sister's shoulder quietly. And, again, Paige mused that she really, _really_ missed being the baby sister.


End file.
